Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-05-20
THE STATE.
A Mysterious Disappearance" Cleared
After Twenty Years.
MARQUETTE's MYSTERY.

n mysterious Disappearance Cleared
After Twenty Years.
One OF the most remarkable cases of long
imprisonment and the clearing up OF a
mysterious disappearance has been un-
earthed in Mrrluette Twenty years ago
John Flynn OF that city, then aged 30
withdrew from the society of men shut
I NJ himself up at home with a sister, one
Mrs Donohue for twelve or fourteen
years. He was seen occasionally in the
yard but always atnight Finally he dis,
appeared altogether, an after few
months public intere t died out and he
was forgotten.
Nine years ago "A young man named
Lawrence Donohue son of Mrs. Doho
hue tFlynn's sister, suddenly disappeared.
This revived interest again i'm the Flynn
disappe france, which had been too quick
ly forgotten Mrs. Donohue's house is a
poor hoVcl in the south part of the city.
IL Is tightly closed and no one remembers
ever havin seen the curtains raised IN the
last fteen or twenty years. For some
time IL was reported that great mystery
surround d the house and among other
things parties claimed that they saw
man face wild-eyed, pale and haggard,
at an upper window.
The OFF ers finally ,termined to make
an investigation, and proceeded TO the
house with that obie in view. Admit
tance was stoutly retu,e ana the officers
were obliged 10 for e their way into I h
house where sight met their gaze that
was unutter b Y horrible Filth was every
where. In an isolated room was found n
man app rently ~ years old. His hair
hung below his shoulders. his beard was
long and unkompt he had a } ale face and
crouching form and was stranger TO all.
lie roved TO he all there was left of John
FlNnn, who dropped out OF existence
twenty one wears ago. When taken in
charge he ought ike awi d beast but was
finally tran ported to the county house.
He talked rati nally except when fighting
against a officers.
IL was soon apparent that Lawrench
Donohre was confined IN the ,ame house
bur II only after repeated e orts that
the officers and "a reporter succe sde 1 in
seeing him. Tie man 5 mother led the
V TO her son room, aud the visitors
food face 10 face with the mau who has
not pasSe OUT the door for nearly ten
years lie is "a hand >ome So endilly built
young man. six feet two. we gh n about
200 pound, and tut for "a ghost p lllor
seemed TO be in go d heal h lie was
neatly DIRE, q AMI his hair. which few
hours before hung over his shoulders had
been cut tight to his 'lendidly formed
h lad, and hi, right b'ue eyes betokened
unusual intelligence. He G. nyersed ra
tlonally, using excellent language The
or OF the Young IN IN. who no doubt Is
slightly deranged told the following
story : he lost her husband and son in 81
Lous year ago moved here and kept
house for her brother. Flynn, and this boy.
then a child Twenty years ago Flynn
took TO thu hou q and became comp etc
hermit She believed him crazy, and says
he did not go out of doors for twenty
We rs TIL their secret was discovered and
he was taken out 10y force. About ten
. h.- I
ence Donohue burst a blood vessel in the
head, affecting his brain. and for lear
the authorities would send him TO an
sylum she shut him up in the house.
from from which draon, he has has I meyer passed
crazy. Tut the son stouty denied the
charge. and said he had heart disease
She says good deal OF the time he has
cen bed ridden with heart disease The
son told much the same story as the WON
trouble with his heart at the same time
leaving the impre- sion from his manner
and conversation that he was not sane.
~ don't want TO go OUT he said.
Mother waits on me all the time. \ ou
are the first man I've shook hands with
since my boyhCo Cd. | am not crazy but
sick. Before ! will be taken out doors |
will commit murder, aud you tell the OF
ficers s.. Look at me. frightening
himsel up 10 his full height 'do you
think tn " will dare try it,
In answer TO inquiries be said he didn't
know where the postotiice was, had never
seen the depot here and knew nothing
about the town only what could be seen
from his CHI mber window. He said he
had never committed a crime and wasn't
asian e1. 10 go out but was AFRAID he
might fall down in faint. He read all
the tin and says he will spend the rest
Of his days in the house. After the inter
view the officer was shown ell over the
house from cellar to garnet and found il
clean and apparently habitable. The par
ties ure dementcd.